Not What it Seems
by aej1085
Summary: Sometimes things don't always go the way we planned. Naruto/Sakura oneshot.


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

**Not What it Seems**

When we start something we always picture what the outcome will be. We see ourselves succeeding, overcoming the odds and finally getting what we've wanted for so long. Naruto was no different. When he entered the fight with Sasuke, he had every intention of bringing him back home. The same intention he'd had when they were 12 and he'd failed to bring back Sasuke the first time and again when they were 15 and Sasuke had once again got away. Now at 18 things were different. Naruto was not going to fail this time, he was going to bring Sasuke back or die trying. Those were the only two ways he saw the fight ending, but then things don't always happen the way we plan.

Naruto knew it was over. Every part of his body screamed in pain, there was no way he realized he would walk away from this fight alive. So when he saw Sasuke coming towards him, sword poised ready to kill, he closed his eyes, accepted his fate and waited for the end to come. Only it never did, at least not in the way he thought. When he finally opened his eyes the first thing he saw was the edge of the sword inches from his face. Despite himself he reached out and touched it still not completely sure how he'd managed to escape his seemingly decided fate. The edge of the sword was coated it what he came to realize was blood. He started at it as it dripped down from the sword and on to the ground. That's when he knew, in his heart he knew who's blood it was that was now quickly turning the grass a dark brown. There was only one other person who knew what he'd come to do today. The same person who had begged to come with him and just about pummeled him when he refused to let her. The same person who wanted Sasuke back just as bad as he did and had trained just as hard as him to bring him back. The person he held most dear above all others, the very girl he'd loved since he was 12 and vowed to protect with his life.

"Sakura-chan!" As soon as those words left his mouth, the sword disappeared from his view and he watched in horror as Sakura's broken body began to fall. Forgetting all the pain he had felt her earlier, he lunged forward and caught her before her body touched the ground. He cradled her in his lap, relieved to see her still breathing. "Sakura-chan what have you done!?" He didn't mean for it to come out sounding as angry as it did. It wasn't her he was mad at, it was himself for failing to keep another promise.

"Protecting someone precious to me." Her answer only increased his anger. "It wasn't supposed to be you!" He pulled her closer to him and buried his face in her hair. "It was never supposed to be you!" He was crying now, bathing her in his tears. "I told you not to come, Sakura. I told you to stay in the village. Why didn't you listen to me?"

She chuckled, "Baka, when have I ever done what you've told me to do?" Naruto loosened his hold on her so he could see her face. He knew she was trying to hide from him how much pain she was in. Her face was ghostly white and her breathing had become more ragged. He couldn't bring himself to look at where the sword had pierced through her body. He didn't want to see the blood, each drop lost bringing her closer to death. "Oh God Sakura." He choked, crying harder.

Her hand shook as she reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes. "It's alright Naruto," she tried to reassure him. "Everything's going to be alright." She was smiling, but her eyes couldn't lie he knew she didn't believe it as she said it. He took her hand in his own and gave it a small squeeze, returning the smile. Each was trying to reassure the other what neither of them felt. A loud clatter broke the moment. Their gazes quickly turned to the source of the noise, the forgotten Sasuke stood a few feet away his sword at his feet, staring at them both in horror. His white shirt covered in blood, her blood, Naruto realized his anger resurfacing. "Is this what you wanted Sasuke," he shouted barely able to control his hatred of the man before him. "Are you happy now?" Naruto's scream was met only with a blank stare. Sasuke's lack of emotion only fueled Naruto's anger. "Answer me! Was it worth it, Sasuke? Was it worth…this?" His voice cracked, but it was the pressure on his hand that stopped him from going any further. He watched as a tear slid down her cheek and just as quickly as it disappeared another followed in its path.

He eyes never leaving her face he spoke again to Sasuke, but this time his tone was deadly serious. "If she dies I will kill you. That's a promise." The next time he looked up Uchiha Sasuke was gone.

"I'm glad," her voice was halted as it took more and more effort to talk. 'I'm…glad…it's going….to end like…this."

"Sakura-chan save your energy," he scolded her. "I'm going to get us out of here, just you wait and see!" He tried to stand with her in his arms, but his body was still too beaten from the fight and he fell back hard against the trunk of a tree. He quickly checked if Sakura was okay, satisfied that she was he tried to make them both comfortable. He knew that in his current state there was no way he could get them both back to Konoha.

"Oh Naruto," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "You…can't save.. everyone."

"Someone will find us. I bet Granny Tsunade has a bunch of them out there looking for us right now." The lie easily slipped from his lips.

"There's something…I…need…" A fit of coughs overtook her small body. Naruto rubbed her back trying to bring her some comfort. He hated feeling so helpless. After a few minutes the coughs subsided and Naruto watched in agony as a small trail of blood slid down her mouth. "I…need you…to…know that…I…love you…Naruto." She collapsed against him exhausted.

All the feelings he should have felt on hearing her say those words were veiled by the realization that he was going to lose the one person who meant everything to him. "Sakura please don't…you're going to be okay…please don't give up."

She shook her head tiredly, "I've wanted... to…tell you that for….awhile…I was just looking…for the…right…time," she laughed humorously.

He watched as another fit of coughs racked her body. As each minute went by he was losing a small part of her and very soon there would be nothing left. He pulled her tightly to him and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too, Sakura-chan." She smiled a real smile as her breathing slowed and her eyes became heavier. As the beating of her heart slowed his heart was breaking and though she was in his arms they were drifting farther and farther apart. Naruto rocked her, as a mother would rock a small child, humming softly as the tears freely fell from his eyes.

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65 years later…

"Naruto-sama you have a very busy schedule today. Let's see there's the meeting with the Kazekage in two hours and then a briefing with the council…" The young assistant looked up to find himself talking to an empty desk. He turned around to catch Naruto reaching the door. "Where do you think you're going?"

"For a walk." He answered simply.

"Naruto-sama you papers that need signed piling up on your desk. This is no time for a walk." Yoshinori scolded the old man like a child.

Used to the treatment, Naruto sighed in mock annoyance. "It's March 28th, Yoshinori."

"What does that have…" The importance of the date suddenly dawned on him and he turned red with embarrassment. "My apologies Naruto-sama."

Naruto grinned at the flustered young man, "Don't worry so much Yoshi. I'll be back in an hour,' he called, closing the door behind him. "No wonder the old lady drank so much sake," he said to no one in particular.

The walk through the village to a little longer than he expected because everyone seemed to have something important they wanted to talk to him about. He finally made it to the flower shop where he paid Ino's granddaughter for the flowers and slowly made his way to the cemetery. He made this walk so many times he was sure he could do it with his eyes closed. He found her stone with ease and replaced the flowers with fresh ones. He traced her name with his finger, as was his ritual, feeling in a small way closer to her. "Happy Birthday Sakura."

**"Ojii-chan!" A child's yell interrupted his thoughts. He turned to see his young granddaughter, Kohana, sprinting towards him. She engulfed him in a hug and kissing both his cheeks she happily proclaimed, "I'm going to be six in four days!" **

**She held up six fingers proudly and he laughed at her excitement. "I know, Little One, I got your present a couple of days ago."**

**Her eyes grew big, "What did you get me? Please, please tell me ojii-chan. Is it the doll I wanted?" He shook his head and her brow furrowed in concentration. "I know!" She grinned widely showing her missing front teeth, "It's a puppy isn't it. It has to be. I've always wanted a puppy." He chuckled and kissed her forehead, "You'll find out in four days." **

**She folded her arms stubbornly and scrunched up her face in mock anger which only made him laugh harder. Turning her back to Naruto she noticed the stone they were standing in front of, mimicking her grandfathers earlier actions she traced the name sounding it out as she went. "Uz...uma..ki Sa..ku...ra Uzuma..ki Saku..ra Uzumaki Sakura! **Obaa-chan!" She shouted proud of sounding it out by herself. Naruto watched as the little girl kissed her grandmother's stone lovingly. Kohana had never met her grandmother, Sakura had died four days before the little girl was born. It was funny too because out of all of his grandchildren she was the one that reminded him the most of his late wife. Her pink hair was the exact same shade as Sakura's had been. She had her grandmother's intelligence and sometimes violent temper. Her eyes were a deeper green, but when she smiled he swore it was Sakura smiling at him. It was because of these qualities that made Kohana all the more special to him.

"Ojii-chan do you miss her?" The child's innocent question brought back a flood of memories.

The formation of Team 7 and the happiness he felt being on the same team with her.

Losing their teammate to darkness and the fight to save him which brought them closer together.

The day he'd almost lost her after she saved him from Sasuke's sword. He'd sat there unable to move with her cradled in his arms as she was slowly being taken from him. When he had told her earlier that Tsunade had probably sent someone to find them, he hadn't been lying as he'd originally thought. The smart old woman after hearing they were missing had quickly figured out where they had gone and sent shinobi to find them. Naruto had never felt more relieved to see Sai and Captain Yamato.

The five days he'd spent by her bedside praying she would wake up. He'd never seen a more beautiful sight as those green eyes or a more beautiful sound as when she had whispered his name.

One year later when on the top of Hokage mountain he'd gotten down on one knee and asked her to marry him. He been concerned at first when she burst into tears, but it melted away when she smiled through her tears saying, "Of course I'll marry you, you knucklehead."

Two years later when she was by his side as his wife when he was named Rokudaime Hokage.

Three years later when he proudly held his son, Toshihiro, in his arms. His eyes met Sakura's, who smiled tiredly, he gently kissed her forehead and murmured a quiet thank you in her hair.

Ten years and four kids later, their lives couldn't have been crazier, but he had never been happier.

Twenty years later the way she had looked at him after her pink hair faded and her skin no longer young and smooth when he told she'd never looked more beautiful.

Sixteen years later when they were surrounded by their friends and family on the fiftieth wedding anniversary.

Seven years later when he held her small hand in his as he watched his wife take her final breaths.

"Everyday." He smiled sadly returning to the present.

Kohana sensing her grandfather's sadness, wrapped her small arms around him. "I love you ojii-chan," she murmured into his chest.

Touched by her small action, he pulled her tightly to him and kissed her hair. "I love you too, Kohana." They stayed like that for several minutes until Kohana wiggled free of his grasp.

"So is my present a puppy?"

He ruffled her hair playfully, laughing. "You're not going to give up are you?" She shook her head.

"Tell you what if you walk back with me to the house on the way I'll let you ask me

questions about what your present is. How does that sound?"

She happily agreed and tugged at her grandfather's hand eager to start the game. He turned back to his wife's gravestone, knelt down and retraced the letters of her name. He placed a small kiss on the cold stone before slowly getting back to his feet and allowed his granddaughter to pull him through the cemetery.

"Okay ojii-chan for my first question." She scrunched her face up in concentration. After a few minutes she looked at him with something that he could only describe as diabolical, "Does it bark?"

Sometimes things don't always work the way we plan. Sometimes they're much, much better than we could have ever imagined.

The End


End file.
